Gull Point Drive

Gull Point Drive is a small paved loop off the main Grand Loop Road of Yellowstone National Park.  Its about 2 miles long and in our experience very quiet and lovely.  We first visited it when we had camped at the near by Bridge Bay Campground.  But, with Gull Point so very close we saw no reason not to go enjoy our breakfasts and quiet evening reading there instead of at our site with neighbors so close and all.  It was so private.  And so expansively pretty.

There is a picnic area with some shade trees on one end of the drive and a couple picnic tables on the opposite end right on the shore of Lake Yellowstone.  There is a long gravel beach.  Across the broad expanse of water the Lake Yellowstone Hotel stands proudly along the opposite shore.

One evening, shortly before dark, we made a very exciting bird sighting--our very first ever Loons.  There was a pair of Common Loons swimming about not too far from the shore.  We watched them in the diminishing light until they drifted further offshore and out of sight.  Stunning birds.  We'd been dreaming of seeing them in the flesh for all our years of birding, really.

We also watched a muskrat as it gather grassy materials.  It was quite remarkable.  The little thing disappeared into a hole in the bank that was nearly indistinguishable to me.  I'd have never noticed it in a million years.  The muskrat was a lot smaller than I remembered them being.

Its a really nice place.  The beauty of all the surroundings reflecting in the span of chilly water so clear you can see the rocks at the bottom for a long ways from shore.  The water gently laps at the shoreline with that ever-relaxing sound.  It is a panorama of beauty.  My favorite picnic area in the park yet.